Heartbreak On The Lake

Newcastle Herald

Friday October 3, 2008

By MELISSA LYONS

IT was a sight that sank the hearts of the McKinnon family.

Fishing aboard their family boat at Bonnells Bay on Wednesday, Jason McKinnon and his three children came across a dead green turtle the second ocean great to suffer the same fate within a week.

"We were just off Hungary Point when I saw him and pointed it out to the kids I thought it was strange it didn't disappear under the water, and on closer inspection we realised it wasn't moving . . . there were no signs of life whatsoever," Mr McKinnon said.

Estimated to be up to 50 years old, the turtle had no external signs of injury, sparking fears it could be another victim of the irresponsible use of fishing gear at the lake.

An X-ray of a turtle found at Coal Point in 2001 showed the discarded fishing hooks it had ingested, which ultimately caused its death.

"When it was found it had fishing line coming from its mouth and its anus," Coal Point resident Audrey Diggins said.

The latest discovery follows two other recent unexplained turtle deaths. A dead green turtle was found floating in shallow water at Silverwater on Saturday, and a hawksbill turtle was found at the back of a lakeside Toronto property on July 6.

Ms Diggins has requested an autopsy be carried out on the turtle found at Bonnells Bay, but National Parks and Wildlife Service has confirmed the procedure would not be done.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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